Bowling ball return runway



P 20, 1949- E. w. DISCHER 2,482,250

BOWLING BALL RETURN RUNWAY Filed June 19, 1946 I v x i V /3 7 BY Z C ATT RNEYS Patented Sept. 20, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

This invention appertains to bowling ball return runways or troughs and is an improvement over my prior patent, No. 2,345,964, issued April 4, 1944.

' In my prior patent, I showed a device for retarding or slowing up the speed of balls as the same reach the ball supporting rack. This device functions perfectly for the large balls used in ten pins. However, where the same rack is used for both large balls and small duck pin balls, the lifting and retarding rails of the retarding device are spaced too far apart to engage the small balls; consequently the small balls strike the rails of the supporting rack, causing objectionable noise, injury to the balls, and the slowing up of the game.

It is therefore one of the prime objects of my invention to provide a novel and simple device for use in connection with the ball retarder to effectively lift and guide the small balls on to the receiving rack without objectionable noise or pin ball retarder so that small balls will be guided on to the rails of a ball receiving rack.

A further important object of my invention is to provide a bowling ball receiving rack having a central rail in addition to the two usual side rails, with means on the riser plate for directing 1 and guiding small duck pin balls to either one side or the other of the central rail, whereby said small balls can be supported by either side rail and the central rail.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an attachment for a ball retarding device, so that both large and small balls can be effectively handled, the attachment being of such a construction that the same can be manufactured at a small cost and readily associated with my ball retarder.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawing:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal central sectional view through my ball retarder showing the same in its operative position relative to a return runway and 2 a ball receiving trough with my novel small ball riser and guiding plate associated therewith, th view being taken on the line l--! of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 2 is a top plan view showing my novel plate associated with the ball retarder.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A generally indicates my novel attachment for the ball retarder R.

The ball retarder R, is of the same character and type shown in my mentioned patent and cooperates with the ball return runway or trough 5 and the ball receiving rack B. The ball return runway 5 includes a pair of spaced parallel rails 1 which lead toward the rack 6. The rack 6 likewise embodies outer or side spaced parallel ball supporting rails 8, and in accordance with my invention I employ a centrally disposed bottom rail 9. The rails 8 support large tenpin balls, while the rails 9 in conjunction with either one of the rails 8 support duckpin balls.

The ball retarder R, will not be described in detail, but it can be seen that the same includes spaced parallel transversely extending brackets l0 and II. The brackets are firmly secured to the rails l of the runway and at this point attention is called to the fact that the rails l at the upper end of the runway incline downwardly and terminate below the rails of the receiving rack 6. The brackets Ill and H also support the upper short friction or ball retarding rails l2 and the brace rails l3.

When the balls are returned by the pin boy and the same ride toward the rack 6 the large balls will be engaged by the rails l2 which will elevate the balls and slow up the speed thereof and gently deposit the balls on the rails 8 of the rack. If small balls are being returned these balls will not be engaged by the rails and consequently,

under normal conditions these small balls will ride on the rails l of the runway until they strike the rails 8 and 9 or the supporting bracket l4 therefor.

In order to utilize the rack for small balls as well as large balls, I associate my novel attachment A with the ball retarder.

This attachment A can be in the nature of an elongated plate I5. The plate is of such a width as to lie between the rails I of the runway. This plate I5 inclines upwardly from the bracket I0 I toward the receiving rack and extends over the 7 portion of the bracket II has formed thereon an upwardly extending ear I9. The ear I9 supports the clamping screw 20. Formed on therearward end of the plate is a depending bifurcated lug ZI- which straddles the screw 20. By tightening the screw the lug can be firmly clamped to the bracket While the plate I5 is formed from somewhat rigid material, the same will possess suflicient resiliency to permit the end carrying the lug to be sprung up and down a slight distance on'the screw, when the same is loosened, so that this plate can belined up perfectly with the bracket I4.

The upper central portion of the plate I5 at the end thereof which abuts the rack carries I a raised boss 22 whichis-aligned withthecentral rail 9. The opposite faces of the boss diverge rearwardly from a central line as at 23, and this boss functions to guide small balls to one side or: the: other of the; rail 9; 1

Inluseaofm'y attachment A, small balls riding the runway '5- will engage the upwardly inclined plate: l:5-.and,- consequently these balls will be elevated to the same heightii as: the bracket I4. When these balls strike the boss they will be guided to'one side or the other of the rail 9 and the'ballswill. rest between one rail 8 and the central rail 9;.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of my invention, but what I claim as new is:

1. The combination with a return runway for bowling balls including a pair of spaced rails and a receiving rack arranged in front of the runway including side rails and a bottom central rail, of a device for facilitating the delivering of small balls to the rack including a centrally disposed plate arranged between the rails of the runway and gradually inclining upwardly toward the rack, andra centrally disposed guideboss on the upper surface of said plate at substantially the same height as-v the central of the rack, said b'ossihaving flaring sides for'directing, small balls to one side or the other of said central rail.

2. The combination with a return runway for bowling balls including spaced rails, a receiving rack: arranged in front of the runway, said runway having, a portion inclining downwardly toward the rack and a retarder for large balls including-spaced: rails disposed above the spaced REFERENCES CITED UN ITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Discher Apr. 4,,1944.

Number 2,345,964 

